Apparatus for transporting heavy objects



May 23, 1950 w. D. CAMPBELL APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING mam OBJECTS Filed Jan. 27, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 //\1 l/ENTOP WILL/AM D. CAMPBELL ATTORNEYS y 1950 w. D. CAMPBELL 2,508,661

APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING HEAVY OBJECTS med Jan. 27,. 1947 2 Sheet-Slieei 2 /Nl/NTOP M/ILL/AM 0. CAMPBELL Arron/vars m of .\n

Patented May 23,1950

- umte AifAnAiUS FOR TRANSPGitiifiG IiEAVii OBJECTS miietttt jttttt; 27, 194%, Serial 1%. 724,539

In the operation of tau-gt? plaifite tt be':

comes necessary at times to sfiift'hail" ment, suth as ma'hines r i fie ojtm h fr t for ne equipmentb' t6 rearr' to racnitat'e and exb'eaite m plaints wnre at great many time mounted sew ng machines are usually empIoyd, which are f ea quentlyjnggled ardimd or rea ranged to expedite werk operations. In such; placs rjt theref re highly de sira blevthtit some ean he piQf/ided whereby Such shifting of quipment frd'rn the placate another may be t iekty erform d with tbfore been reqdf red' e'gierri 11g An objeet ef the present and conveniently transportedteen-3f desired Ideation or position in the plant by simpiy" shev'i'rig the wheeled frame along the floor;

A further object is to pravide such an abpaa retus which js l ight in weight and extremely i le a ex en e in c st uetiqn where y it may be mnnnfaetnredett 10w egst and-else whereby it may be pent'enientI-y wheeled ebqnt fr'bm one pIaee to'al'nothr whether ibededf, brui loaded with armini lniimldf effort, therefijgreatiy facilitating the operat'iqn ot rearrangifi munintent, or transporting it frjbr'if one mtwtdanother in an industrial plant,v or eisetvhere, as Win be e t V. r

about a lead o objeet to b. trtt"sptrta, th

understand that the invfentmn not, c'diififid Eequen-tIy aid -1 for vertically translating the load-engaging nfe transmi ted off the that. V

vide's the utmbst in simpiic' ity; the means: provided for vertically tfafis ljtirigith loaid-ngaging members" in the sides; qf the a 'j' whereby When the ttpparatnshas been pos1t1oried l ad-engaging members may: [5e quickly, into engagement with the mad and meta utilized fer transporting ldadS v tb teiofie'rated y a pair or sta ed 0 eratifig iev Other bjects o the inventitfi will ippar f drawing-send win b flbifite'd out in the annexed I In the atccsm enving' drawingst r b" di16ed a structure desiteneatttatw titthe hi nistrength and rigidity, but which is relatively light in weight, and convenient to grasp with the hands.

To facilitate the description of the apparatus, the open end of the frame will hereinafter be the upper load engaging rails H and the side members 1 at each side of the frame of the apparatus. The length of the guide rods 23 of the auxiliary element 2| is sufiicient to assure that the lower ends thereof will not become disengaged from the guide openings in the side frame members I, when the auxiliary elements 2| are relatively elevated in the side frame members II, by manipulation of the shafts |5.

To adapt the apparatus for lifting objects of relatively greater height than indicated in Figure 3, the shanks or rods 23 of the auxiliary Y load-engaging elements 2| may be provided with spaced apertures adapted to selectively re- .ceive pins 25, which pins when received in the U corresponding apertures of their respective auxreferred to as the front end, and the opposite I end, the rear end. are provided on the front posts or uprights 3-3 and stationary brackets 9 having wheels if) mounted therein are shown secured to the lower ends of the rear tubular uprights 22 to facilitate moving and guiding the structure about from one place to another.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the means provided at each side of the structure for engaging the article or load to be carried.

The means provided for thus engaging the load, is shown comprising a pair of longitudinally extending load-engaging members One such member is located at each side of the apparatus directly above the side rails '1. Each member H is shown provided at each end with a depending tubular portion or guide rod l2 which are telescopically received in the upper ends of their respective corner posts 2 and 3, as perhaps best illustrated in the left-hand end of Figure 2. Each guide rod I2 is shown having a pin or stud l3 secured thereto adjacent its lower end which studs are vertically movable in suitable slots l4 provided in the upper wall portions of the uprights 2 and 3, as clearly illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 5.

A longitudinally extending shaft i5 is shown rotatably supported in suitable bearings provided in the upright posts 2 and 3 at each side of the apparatus. Each shaft l5 has secured thereto, adjacent each end thereof, a pairlof eccentrics l6 which are aligned with and engage the studs l3 so that when the shafts |5 are rotated, vertical movement is transmitted to the longitudinally extending load-engaging members through the studs l3 and guide rods l2, as will be understood.

A suitable operating handle or lever H is secured to each shaft I5 at the rear end of the ap- .paratus, whereby an operator may quickly move the load-engaging members into engagement with a load, when said members have been properly positioned with respect thereto, as shown for example in Figures '7 and 8.

The periphery of each eccentric I6 is preferably provided with diametrically opposed recesses l8 and |9 adapted to alternately receive the studs I3, and whereby the shafts I5 may be retained in adjusted position, without any worry on the part of the operator.

.Auxiliary load engaging elements, generally designated by the numeral 2|, are provided on each side member H. Each element 2| is shown comprising an elongated plate 22 having one end secured to an upright shaft or rod 23 which is mounted for vertical adjustment in suitable aligned guide openings provided respectively in Suitable swivel casters 8 iliary members 2|, will retain such elements on a common plane or level which will be determined by the height of the load to be elevated. The pins 25 may be inseparably secured to their respective elements 2| by suitably connecting cords or chains 26, as shown in Figure 6.

In the operation of the novel apparatus herein disclosed, the wheeled frame is maneuvered into position about the object or article to be conveyed or transported, as indicated by dotted lines in Figures 3 and 4. In these figures, there is illustrated, for the sake of disclosure, a conventional knitting machine table comprising a supporting frame 21 normally supported on the floor, as indicated in Figure 3, and hasa table top 28 provided with overhanging side portions 29. If the width of the table top is sufiiciently wide to overhang the load-engaging side members H of the apparatus, when the latter are moved into lifting position with respect to the load, as shown for example in Figure 7, the operator may simply swing the operating handles H from their upright positions, shown in Figure 1, to their lower-most positions, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2, whereby the lifting members M will engage the overhanging portions 29 of the table top 28 and thereby lift the sewing machine off the floor, as shown in Figure 8. When thus elevated off the floor the entire weight of the sewing machine or other object to be transported, will be transferred onto the wheeled frame constituting the present invention, whereby the swing machine, or other apparatus may be conveniently transported from.

one place to another without effort, as will be understood.

In Figures 7 and 8, the auxiliary load-engaging elements 2| are shown positioned on the rails It is to be understood. that if desired, these auxiliary elements may be dispensed with if the objects or machines to be transported are always of such width that the load-engaging rails ll of the apparatus will always engage beneath the in Figures 1 and 4, to thereby assure positive en.-

gagement with the load before attempting to elevate the latter from the floor.

In the drawings I have shown the apparatus constructed of tubularsteel, but ity is to be understood that, it may be constructed of other material without departing from the scope of they invention, if so desired. Tubular steel is light in weight, and may be conveniently grasped by the x hands, as hereinbefore stated, which makes it more desirable for use in such an apparatus.

It will also be noted by reference to Figures 1 and 4 that the cross rails 4 and 5 are each shown made of one piece of tubular structure, whereby the spacing between the load-engaging members of the apparatus will always remain constant. If desired, the cross members 4 and 5 may be made telescopic, whereby the spacing between the load-engaging members ll may be varied to suit the load.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that I have accomplished at least the principal objects of my invention, and it will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments herein described may be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that the invention is capable of uses and has advantages not herein specifically described; hence it will be appreciated that the herein disclosed embodiments are illustrative only, and that my invention is not limited thereto.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an apparatus of the class described, a rectangular wheeled frame open at one end whereby it may be maneuvered into position about an article to be transported thereby, spaced parallel load-engaging members mounted for vertical adjustment on said frame at each side thereof, each of said members having depending guide rods secured thereto and receivable in guides provided in said frame, a transversely disposed horizontal shaft mounted beneath each load-engaging member, eccentrics on said shafts, means secured to said guides and operatively engaging the peripheries of said eccentrics, and means for rotating said shafts to move the loadengaging members into or out of operative engagement with an object or load to be moved.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, an open structural frame mounted on suitable carrying wheels and open at one end, a longitudinally extending load-engaging member at each side of said frame adapted to be positioned beneath a load or object to be transported upon said frame, said members having depending guide rods secured thereto and received in guides in said frame, means extending laterally from said guide rods, rotary elements engageable with said laterally extending means for vertically translating said load-engaging member on the frame to bodily lift a load from the floor and transfer its weight onto said wheeled frame, and auxiliary load-engaging elements adjustably supported on said load-engaging members whereby the apparatus may be utilized for transporting loads of various widths.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, a wheeled frame open at its forward end whereby it may be maneuvered into position about an article to be transported thereby, said frame comprising tubular corner posts, a horizontally disposed load-engaging member mounted at each side of the frame and each having depending guide rods telescopically received in the corner posts of its respective side of the frame, slots in the walls of said posts, studs secured to said guide rods and outwardly projecting through said slots, cam means mounted on said corner posts adjacent to said outwardly projecting studs and engaged with said studs, and means for actuating said cam means whereby the load-engaging members are vertically adjusted with respect to said corner posts, thereby to move said members into or out of operative engagement with an article or load.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, a wheeled frame open at its forward end whereby it may be maneuvered into position about an article to be transported thereby, said frame comprising tubular corner posts, a horizontally disposed load-engaging member mounted at each side of the frame and each having depending guide rods telescopically received in the corner posts oi its respective side of the frame, slots in the walls of said posts, studs secured to said guide rods and outwardly projecting through said slots, eccentrics mounted on said corner posts adjacent to said outwardly projecting studs and having their peripheries engaging said studs, means for rotating the eccentrics whereby the load-engaging members are vertically adjusted with respect to said corner posts, thereby to move said members into or out of operative engagement with an article or load, and means operatively associated with said eccentrics for securing them in load-lifting positions.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, a wheeled frame open at its forward end whereby it may be maneuvered into position about an article to be transported thereby, said frame comprising tubular corner posts, a horizontally disposed load-engaging member mounted at each side of the frame and each having depending guide rods telescopically received in the corner posts of its respective side of the frame, slots in the walls of said posts, studs secured to said guide rods and outwardly projecting through said slots, a shaft mounted on each side of said frame, eccentrics secured to said shafts adjacent to said outwardly projecting studs and having their peripheries engaging said studs, means for rotating the shafts whereby the eccentrics are actuated to vertically adjust the load-engaging members on said frame, thereby to move said members into or out of operative engagement with an article or load, and recesses in the peripheries of said eccentrics for receiving said studs and thereby securing the eccentrics in loadlifting positions.

WILLIAM D. CAMPBELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,133,804 Kaufman Mar. 30, 1915 1,202,948 Wollbrandt Oct. 31, 1916 1,239,771 Collis Sept. 11, 1917 1,261,428 Norman Apr, 2, 1918 1,556,366 Smouse Oct. 6, 1925 1,927,598 Schlichter Sept. 19, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 242,736 Great Britain Nov. 19, 1925 

